Colorado · Rock climbing · South Fork

Big Meadows

Big Meadows in Colorado has 3 bouldering routes with 3 distinct difficulty grades.

3 routes
V4 – V8+
Bouldering

Is Big Meadows open right now?

Road closed

US 160: road closure is listed as closed by CDOT 511.

  • US 160: road closure

    Closed · ~0.5 km from Big Meadows · CDOT 511

As of · Source: CDOT 511. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Big Meadows

Best months: June–July and September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    34° / -2°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    38° / 1°

    4 wet

  3. Mar

    45° / 11°

    5 wet

  4. Apr

    53° / 20°

    4 wet

  5. May

    62° / 28°

    4 wet

  6. Jun

    74° / 34°

    6 wet

  7. Jul

    79° / 41°

    12 wet

  8. Aug

    76° / 40°

    14 wet

  9. Sep

    70° / 33°

    9 wet

  10. Oct

    59° / 23°

    5 wet

  11. Nov

    47° / 11°

    4 wet

  12. Dec

    35° / 0°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hermit 8 Se, CO, 22 mi away at 8,949 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Big Meadows is a bouldering area in the Divide Ranger District of Colorado's Rio Grande National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing and paddling spots, with Little Black Cliff just 0.1 mile away and Long Cliff at 0.8 mile. Big Meadows Campground is about 1.2 miles off, and the South Fork Rio Grande offers canoeing within a mile. The climbing here is all bouldering, with three routes listed: Cookie Skillet at V4, At Eternity's Gate at V8 and Eternity's Wisdom at V8+. The grades put the area in the upper range of bouldering, so plan on a session that matches your strength and experience. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 79°F with lows near 41°F, though July and August also bring the most wet days of the year, about 12 and 14. Winter is cold, with January highs around 34°F and lows near -2°F.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive